In partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Thumbtack surveyed more than 12,000 U.S. small business owners to determine the ranking.

“After a two-month survey of thousands of small business owners nationwide, we’ve been able to hear directly from Alabama’s small business community about how they view the state,” said Jon Lieber, chief economist of Thumbtack. “Creating a business climate that is welcoming to small, dynamic businesses is more important than ever, and Alabama has some work to do to make this happen.”

Alabama, which received an A- in small business friendliness in 2012, was one of the worst states in the U.S. for hiring new workers, according to the report. Small business owners also gave Alabama’s training and networking programs an F.

The survey showed Alabama’s employment, labor and hiring regulations received an A-, while the state was fifth in the nation in business owners being prepared for the controversial Affordable Care Act.

“Alabama small businesses were the most pessimistic in the nation about the state of the national economy,” the report said.

Utah, Idaho, Texas,Virginia and Louisiana were the top-rated states for small business friendliness. Rhode Island, Illinois, California, Connecticut and New Jersey were the lowest-rated.